The
Dispatch The newsletter for Watco
April 2021
Table of Contents Teaching the Teachers ________________________________________________________________________________ 3 Winter Freeze 2020-2021 ___________________________________________________________________________ 4-5 Building a Safety Culture ___________________________________________________________________________ 6-7 EIRR and Omaha Teams Combine Forces ____________________________________________________________ 8-9 SLWC/SKOL Team Member Retires After 22 Years ______________________________________________________ 9 Watco to Add Rail Lines in Upper Midwest, Canada _________________________________________________ 10-11 Team Member Anniversaries ______________________________________________________________________ 12-13 New Arrivals ________________________________________________________________________________________ 14
Highlights
On the Cover
Graduations The school year’s end is quickly approaching, and many family members of the Watco team will be crossing stages across the continent (and ocean) to receive their diplomas. Watco would like to acknowledge their hard work and show how proud we are of all graduates from our families by listing them in the June edition of The Dispatch. If you would like to have a graduate’s information listed, send in the information in the following format: Graduate’s name and relationship to Watco team member , Watco team member’s title and location, the school the graduate is attending and location of that school, and if the graduate is receiving a degree from a college, university, or trade school, list the graduate’s degree type. An example would be: Billy Doe: Son of John Doe, locomotive mechanic in Oklahoma City, OK; graduating from Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. Email the information to: marketing@watco.com and add Dispatch Graduation in the subject line.
2 The Dispatch | April 2021
On the cover: Billy Hager’s shot of a Blue Ridge Southern Railroad train moving over the Hominy Creek Bridge.
Safety Anniversaries March 1 – Louisiana Southern Railroad (LA) – 2 years March 6 – Columbus Dedicated Terminal (MS) – 3 years March 8 – Jacksonville Port Terminal Railroad (FL) – 4 years March 8 – Cahokia Marine Terminal (IL) – 3 years March 10 – Bayway Dedicated Terminal (NJ) – 7 years March 11 – Bayway Switching (NJ) – 3 years March 16 – Grand Rivers Mechanical Repair Operations (KY) – 1 year March 19 – St. Louis Gateway Transload Terminal (MO) – 1 year March 30 – Port Birmingham (AL) – 1 year
Teaching the Teachers The Watco Safety Center in Birmingham, Alabama, recently made the first step in a new initiative: They’re teaching the teachers. The new Safety Leadership Training course equips instructors to go into the field with an understanding of adult learning fundamentals. The safety team hopes the new program will create a ripple effect across Watco. After taking the course, the instructors are better prepared to share the information with our leadership by understanding how the leaders learn. Those leaders will then be empowered to more effectively share safety messages with their teams.
• Reducing the learning curve for people entering the industry, which will ultimately make the team safer and more efficient. “Our team is always training, whether at our Safe Performance Center in Birmingham, a field-level annual, or recurrent training class at their location,” Herod said. “We are always learning. By preparing our instructors, we can help ensure the training we’re providing is of the highest quality, that we’re continuously improving and consistent across our network.”
Travis Herod, SVP of Environmental Health, Safety, and Training, said the new course means: •
Using proven methods of adult learning, which helps new team members by preparing them to do the work needed for our customers in an even safer manner.
• Equipping the training team with better training materials, which can prevent accidents and injuries.
April 2021 | The Dispatch 3
WINNERS The Watco safety team has selected the third group of Winter Freeze safety award winners. Thanks to all ten of these team members for recognizing these hazards and taking preventative action before they became incidents.
Name: Michael Remedies, Inbound Inspector
Name: Carlos Arciga, Railcar Repairman
Location: Zwolle, Louisiana, Railcar and Mechanical Repair Shop
Location: Omaha, Nebraska, Railcar and Mechanical Repair Shop
Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: While performing an inspection, Remedies discovered that a rung had broken loose from the running board, making the handhold insecure. Solution: A new process was created to flag/tag equipment with issues found during the initial inbound inspection so others aren’t caught by surprise.
Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Arciga noticed a boxcar’s door pins had been removed/partially removed. The doors are heavy, and this unsafe condition could have resulted in a major incident. Solution: After securing the doors, the team investigated the tampering, reviewed site security, and now start the day with an equipment assessment, even if a team member worked on the equipment the day prior.
Name: Aaron Day, Railcar Repairman Location: Coffeyville Kansas, Railcar and Mechanical Repair Shop Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: While returning equipment to a storage area, Day realized that ice and snow accumulation had created a potential slip/trip hazard, especially dangerous if moving a heavy object. Solution: Day cleared the snow and applied salt to the area, making it safer for his teammates. 4 The Dispatch | April 2021
Name: Dale Pape, Conductor/Engineer Location: Ann Arbor Railroad Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Pape found a guard missing from the fireman’s side cab heater. Solution: He protected it until it was repaired. Unguarded fans cause injuries, so his keen eye possibly prevented an incident.
Name: Nate Burke, Terminal Manager Location: Toledo, Oregon, Switching Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Burke noticed that our customer had installed a blue light near the tracks. For railroads, that color signifies that someone is on, under, or between equipment. Solution: Our team worked with the customer to change the color to avoid confusion.
Name: Chris Cline, Track Laborer Location: Lubbock & Western Railway Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: The team was frequently moving fuel cans, which are heavy and awkward to move. Solution: To improve safety and efficiency, Cline suggested moving a frequently used equipment fuel tank from a fixed-ground position to a truck bed that had extra space.
Name: Parker Johnson, Conductor Location: Kaw River Railroad Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: When entering and exiting the telehandler cab, Johnson recognized that the platform was slick.
Solution: The team moved the tank to a heavierduty flatbed truck capable of properly carrying the tank, eliminating excess wear on the lightduty vehicle and the risk of overexertion injury from lifting the heavy tank and hose.
Name: Brandon LaFountain, Conductor Location: Tioga Dedicated Terminal Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: LaFountain noticed while checking a switch that a portion of the switch point had broken. Solution: He prevented a potential derailment by immediately locking out and tagging the switch as out-of-service pending repair.
Name: Joseph Rowan, Material Handler Location: Greens Port Industrial Terminals Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Rowan recognized that carrying pressure-washer hoses between levels of the loadout tower was awkward and difficult and could result in injury. Solution: His team is in the midst of a project to place water access, valves, and other connections on each level, removing a trip hazard on the stairs and making access more efficient.
Solution: The team quickly repainted the floor with texture to increase traction on the walking surface, hopefully preventing a slip/trip injury.
Name: Dalton Want, Operator Location: Oklahoma City Transload Terminal Safety Suggestion/Near Miss: Want saw that their fuel transfer tank was installed on a half-ton pickup. The tank was too heavy, creating an overload hazard. April 2021 | The Dispatch 5
Watch the video
Wisconsin & Southern Railroad Achieves 1 Million Man-Hours Injury-Free Watco’s Wisconsin & Southern Railroad (WSOR) has accomplished a feat very few other short lines can claim to have done: They celebrated the tremendous milestone of achieving more than 1 million man-hours injury free. “For a regional railroad to go over three years without a recordable injury is extremely impressive. It’s even more so when you consider the number of WSOR team members, who work in the challenging, complex work environment a railroad of that size deals with each and every day,” said Travis Herod, Senior Vice President of Environmental, Health and Safety. When talking with team members, several of them credit the training they receive currently for the improvement in their safety record. WSOR Roadmaster Chris Jacobson was with the WSOR before Watco purchased the line in 2012. He’s been with the railroad for 22 years and said, “Back when I first started, when you got hired on, you just kinda got thrown into a position and were expected to perform with very little training. Training is a 6 The Dispatch | April 2021
big focus now. I think that has a lot to do with our success. The training program that we run starts out with ground school. We then run the guys through 90 days on-the-job training with an experienced team member and then do the follow-up for up to six months with one-on-one meetings, and I think that has a lot to do with building a safety culture here and getting the guys steered in the right direction.” He added, “I think that the culture we have now is all about keeping people safe and getting people the right training and development to get where they are at.” The team says that another factor in their successful safety culture is the investment the railroad has made in them and in the proper equipment enabling them to work safe. “We’ve got the right equipment to do the right job, and I think that’s a huge part of it, having the right equipment to do your job safely and effectively,” said Ryan Esser, WSOR Carman.
The WSOR team has an active Team Safety and Improvement Committee (TSIC) that plays a key part in keeping the property safe and responding to team members’ requests and suggestions. With more than 150 team members it’s important to have that additional help in discovering what the team needs and making sure the team has the right equipment to keep everyone safe. The TSIC also makes sure the property is safe and works to keep morale high and build a sense of pride in the team. And finally, one of the most important factors is that the team is encouraged to stop work if an action appears unsafe. Esser said at the rule is: If you think it’s unsafe, speak up. “We bring that up in the job briefings every morning. If you see something that’s unsafe or you think there’s something unsafe, don’t be afraid to say anything. Whether you started yesterday, or you’ve been here six years or 15 years, it’s your right to work safe, and I take it as an obligation to make sure that everybody else at work is safe as well.”
“Achievements like this don’t just happen, it takes a coordinated effort by their entire team, with every single team member doing their part,” said Herod. “I’m extremely proud of the work the WSOR has done and the way they’re leading the way for the rest of our organization. They are truly a railroad to emulate.” “This incredible milestone is one that is very special and one we feel privileged to be a part of, as none of us have had the honor to experience it before,” said WSOR General Manager Preston Nelson. “It’s truly a testament of the relentless commitment this team has. We see more and more that as we accept the challenge and engage in safety, our team and each piece of our business improves each and every day. It’s a privilege to see what the WSOR team can do in the face of adversity and their ability to collaborate and find new ways to combat the safety challenges we face.”
April 2021 | The Dispatch 7
EIRR and Omaha Teams Combine Forces One of the advantages Watco has is the diversity of services offered. Not only is this beneficial to customers, but It has also proven to benefit the team as well. The Eastern Idaho Railroad (EIRR) had experienced a derailment earlier this year, which resulted in the need to get the 13 derailed railcars cut up and prepared for heavy repairs or to scrap. Enter the Omaha Railcar and Maintenance Shop in Nebraska. The Omaha location was experiencing a slow period and was able to send team members experienced in heavy repair – Moises Morales, Carlos Arciga, and Saw Taw – to Idaho to help out. EIRR General Manager Darin Price said the three have been “a godsend. I wish I could replicate them. They showed up ready to work and already have the Watco culture ingrained in them.” The Omaha-EIRR partnership has benefited both teams.
8 The Dispatch | April 2021
“Normally we would have to either bring in an outside team, which would elevate costs, or we would have to do the work ourselves, which would cost us in time and take away from our daily tasks,” said Josh Kingery, EIRR Railcar Supervisor, who’s been overseeing the project. “Basically, this solution has given us the opportunity to expedite the project and gather fresh new ideas. It’s been a great learning opportunity for everyone involved.” “They’ve taught us new things and different approaches to the work we need to do,” Price added. “It’s been a good experience for both teams to see how other places do things.” Morales agreed, “It’s been a very good experience for me. I had experience on wrecks, but it’s been a great opportunity to learn and make plans for the railcars using the different perspectives. I’m very proud to be part of the team, and I’m learning a lot from Josh and everyone around.”
The three Omaha men are working at the derailment site, a remote area near Hazelton, Idaho. To facilitate site access, the Maintenance of Way team led by Roadmaster Cody Tracy have cut paths and made roads. Morales, Arciga, and Taw have been working on the cars to repair them so they can set them on wheels to be taken to the EIRR’s body shop in Rupert, Idaho. And during any downtime, while they are waiting for parts or confirmation on repairs, the trio has also assisted with inbound train inspections and heavier repairs.
worked to bring in experts from other areas, and I can only see us doing it more and more.” Price stressed the project as an example of collaboration. “We’re all wearing the same jersey,” he said. “We’re on the same team, and we’re playing like it.”
Kingery commented on how smoothly the arrangement has worked. “From when we met at the parking lot of the hotel to today, we’ve had no issues. We’ve come together, and it’s been like we’ve been one team. It’s neat to see it firsthand. If you put us in a room, you wouldn’t know we didn’t work together longer than we have. “I see this having a large ripple effect on the EIRR and other railroads. We’ve seen how well it has
SLWC/SKOL Team Member Retires After 22 Years Steve Landis retired from his job as a conductor/ engineer for the Stillwater Central and South Kansas & Oklahoma railroads in late December but because of COVID restrictions at the time, his party was delayed until the team could safely get together and wish him a proper farewell. Landis worked for the sister railroads out of Oklahoma stations in Lawton, Stroud, and Owasso for 22 years and remained injury-free for the entire time. “Mr. Landis is a man that would do anything in the world for you,” said Nathan Champion, SLWC General Manager. “He was well respected by the customers and Watco team. Whenever I would seek his advice and opinion on a railroad matter, he was always straightforward and trustworthy.” Landis plans to spend his well-earned free time on his farm, with his grandkids, and playing his guitar. Nathan Champion, SLWC General Manager (left) and Jerry Waun, SKOL General Manager (right), present retiree Steve Landis with a plaque of appreciation for his 22 years with Watco. April 2021 | The Dispatch 9
Photo by: Dan Grudzielanek
Watco to Add Rail Lines in Upper Midwest, Canada On March 30, Watco signed an agreement with Canadian National Railway subsidiaries Wisconsin Central Ltd. and Algoma Central Railway Inc. to purchase certain rail assets of the Wisconsin Central (WCR) and Algoma Central (ACR). The rail lines consist of approximately 900 miles of track serving more than 90 customers in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Ontario. The lines handle a diverse group of commodities including packaging and paper products, lumber and building materials, metals, minerals, agriculture products, and chemicals. “Watco’s relationship continues to grow and flourish with Canadian National as we work together to provide the best value-added services to rail shippers in North America,” said Watco Chief Executive Officer Dan Smith. “This announcement is an extremely important and exciting next step 10 The Dispatch | April 2021
in this relationship, and we look forward to serving these crucial customers and expanding our footprint in the Upper Midwest and Canada.” Watco Chief Commercial Officer Stefan Loeb said the acquisition would lead to significant growth and expansion opportunities. “We look forward to providing Watco’s customizable and localized service to customers along the line,” he said, “and creating a positive impact on all of the communities we will operate in.” Once post-pandemic conditions allow for it, in addition to providing freight service, Watco plans to reinstate the renowned scenic passenger rail service that runs through Ontario’s Agawa Canyon out of Sault Ste. Marie.
in Northern Ontario, Wisconsin, and Michigan CANADA Oba Franz
Sault ste Marie Baraga
White Pine
Munising
Ashland
Newberry
Ishpeming
MICHIGAN
Trout Lake Escanaba
Park Falls Rhinelander Ladysmith
Tony
Goodman
Bradley
Prentice Medford
WISCONSIN
Wausau Rothschild Mosinee
Spencer
Shawano Green Bay
Stevens Point Manawa Wisconsin Rapids
New London Appleton Oshkosh
MICHIGAN
Denmark Manitowoc
Kiel
Fond du Lac
New Lisbon
Luxemburg
Eden
Cleveland Sheboygan
Reedsburg Horicon West Bend Madison Prairie du Chien Evansville Monroe
LEGEND Wisconsin & Southern Railroad (WSOR) WSOR Trackage Rights Watco to acquire from CN Watco to acquire from CN - Out of service CN - Watco joint track CN Other railroads
Watertown Cottage Grove Milton
Saukville North Milwaukee Milwaukee
D
Elkhorn
Janesville
Rondout
Chicago
2
INDIANA
April 2021 | The Dispatch 11
Co
Team Member Anniversaries Congratulations to the following team members celebrating April anniversaries:
1 Year: Joseph Akers, Jose Alonzo, Layton Andrews II, Roshawn Ashford, Phillip Balthazor, Denari Bing, Joseph Blanford, William Brasher, Michael Brooks, Carlos Campos, Larry Cooper, Richard Copas, Joshua Davenport, Francisco De Leon, David Dougherty, Leo Durnen, Scott Fritz, Luis Garza, Lorenzo Gonzalez, Rafael Gutierrez, Danny Harris, Gregory Hazlett, Nicholas Hyche, Brett Irving, Kyle Jennings, Loreto Jimenez, Anselmo Jurado
Landon Huey, Wayne Jackson, Cori Kallenbach, Manuel Loya, Tad Mayfield, Cody Mcgee, Will Myers, Torrance Nettles, Gale Nightingale, JaQuill Oliver-Davis, Robert Pearce, William Pederson, David Phillips, Christopher Pruitt, Frank Pryor, Derrick Reeves, Joseph Reeves, Alina Robles, Xavier Rollins, Phillip Vasquez, Adam Vogt, Winston Watson, Kevin Wright, Ami Yonts
3 Years: Alan Andrade, Tiljuanna
4 Years: Jarret Borjas, Matthew Brown, Lance Cullen, Veronica Davis, Lacey Dawes, Joshua Dekle, James Dunbar, Trevor Elliott, Alan Hucke, Michael Janda, Brent Lamaster, Stephen Lazzari, William Long, Joseph McClain, Roland Mitchell, Jasper Nail, Thomas O’Brien, Jennifer Prasko, Cameron Reed, Thomas Reinhardt, Michael Ryan, Jeremiah Schaible, Dennis Sepulvado, Jimmy Sharpe Jr, Sean
Barrow, David Bayles, Christina
Sipes, Trevor Todd,
Ulloa, Justin Kent, John Lankford,
Bell, Nick Bone, Taylor Brewer,
Brian Warren
Jason Lopez, Joseph Loven, Jose
Zackery Brock, Danielle Bushore,
Matamoros, Wayne Matthews,
Esmeralda Carrizales, Chad
5 Years: David Ault, Brian
Gregory Miner, Jose Najera, Pedro
Combs, Justin Combs, Anthony
Najera, Edison Najera Rodriguez,
Dellasega, Jonathan Dochniak,
Sage Nelson, Francisco Pineda,
Christopher Fox, Drew Grogan,
Kaleb Rinear, Oscar Rubio, Cinthya
Ronald Henderson, Gary Henry,
Salinas, Brennan Sanderford,
Stephanie Hickey, Noe Ibarra,
Steven Shields, Mark Souza, Logan
Gilbert Jasso, Joel Johnson,
Taylor, Talon Teton, Shay Tingey,
Brandon Landelius, Dominque
Brown, Doug Conway, Shane
Jose Torres, Alfredo Vazquez,
Lewis, Terry Madison, Michael
Cover, Dylan Downs, Joseph
Carole Vest
Moore, Derek Morris, Alex Myers,
Earls, Adriene Hones, Dan
2 Years: Carlos Arciga, Klayton
Christopher Odom, Miguel
Hooper, Justin Johnson, Eric
Ornelas, Brian Orr, Julie Ortiz,
Kipp, Shannon Kondracki, Eric
Jesus Pacheco, Nathaniel Pellerin,
Larson, Dakota Moreau, Anand
Travis Pinkerton, Delbert Reece,
Narine, Daniel Pena, Zachary
Anibal Rodriguez Santiago, Ruben
Shelton, Dhanraj Singh, Tommy
Ross, Roberto Salamanca, Jacob
Smith, Lawrence Spradley, Boyd
Spruiell, Channing Stackhouse,
Standley, Rodger Tillinghast
Jessica Sutton, Misty Sweeney,
7 Years: Marcus Blumer, Eric
Beck, Richard Boozy, Ryan Calderon, Gabriel Contreras, James Crisman, Nolan Crowe, Jason Ekiss, Johnathan Foutch, Carlos Furcal, Frank Galati, Joel Godsey, Jacob Hallmark, Donnie Haney, Walker Harden, Matthew Heppler, Keston Higgins, Joseph Holley, Thomas Holmes, Shaquan Hoskins, Samantha Howard,
12 The Dispatch | April 2021
Brent Taylor, Chad VanSickle, Justin Vazquez, Robert Woodard
Baugher, David Dust, Matthew Gibson, Jeremy Lee, Richard Morgan, Christopher Salazar, Marvin Serrano Chavez, Ronald Tucker, Joseph White
6 Years: Ryan Bernd, Kenneth
Cummins, Alfie Hutchinson, Jaden Jacobs, Kersy Johnson, David McIntosh, Donna Moore,
Team Member Anniversaries William Newport, Theodore Nicholson, Michael Porter, Dustin Schilling, Chad Stacy, Aaron Tanner, Adam York
8 Years: Michael Crosslin, Justin Denton, Michael Ebarb, John Honaker, Devan Lynch, Jacob Nance, Mark Perry, Kyle Ratliff, Bill Rollins, Steven Schadler,
12 Years: Angela Bunker, Joseph 22 Years: Marvin Ellis Grupczynski, Mark Moorlag, 23 Years: James Crider, Micheal Murphy 13 Years: Carl Elrod, Steven Everett, Chris Haddow, Russell Hamm, Robert Hurda, Jose Martinez, Arnoldo Sandoval, Eric Smith
Jennifer Severe, Noey Sistos,
14 Years: Rebekah Garner,
Robert Sohmer, Chase Upchurch,
Danny Rodriguez
Nicholas Wayman
15 Years: Marshall Blakley,
9 Years: Scott Ayers, David
Shellee Currier, Timothy Dunn,
Garcie, Aaron Greene, Justin
Cody Gilliland, Christopher Preuc
Hayes, Stefan Holcomb, William
King, James Lathum, Joseph
16 Years: John Bell, Jerad
Mays, Jeff Mitchell, Michael Mulnix, Patrick Stout, Andrew Thompson, Mark Wells, Tyrus White, Jeremy Williams, Tracy Wright
10 Years: Mark Adams, Joshua
Brunskill, Brandon Eddleman, Travis Fellers, Brian Fox, Claudia Gedeon, Timothy Hurse, Matthew Krautsdorfer, Richard Moser, Jesus Rodriguez, Jessica Seelinger, Travis Tholen, Tracie
Altis, Christa Coates, Douglas
VanBecelaere, David Wilczewski,
Delehoy, Allen Hasty, Axel Herrera,
David Witzack
Brian Hickerson, Shaun Hines,
17 Years: Jeffery Greenwood,
Christopher Kachmar, Matthew Parker, Zachery Pittman, Dustin Rhodes, Donald Robert, Gerald Tjepkema, Megan Wilson
Stacey Hurda
24 Years: Brandy Cathey, Sherry Denn, Jeremy Findley, Alonzo Orta
25 Years: Kenneth Barber 26 Years: Aaron Byle 28 Years: Neal Jacobs 29 Years: Condra Warhurst 30 Years: Gary Cooley 31 Years: Dennis Phelps 32 Years: Dwight Browning 38 Years: Michael Murphy, James Strawn
39 Years: Larry Vail, Dion Wilkens
Gina Lambert, Jason Nix
18 Years: Shane Engle, George Karmoukos
11 Years: Hayley Becker, Randall 19 Years: Lisa Butts, John
Bennett, Jennifer Coursey, Kevin
Galloway, Kenneth Sauter,
Crespo, Anthony Hoyte, Jordan
Joe Watts
Merritt, Jackie Ogden, Rachael
21 Years: Ralph Fielder, William
Peterson, David Riley, Kevin Roth, Owen Schulz, Andrew Smith
Kyzer, Byron Marshall, Ernest Palmer
April 2021 | The Dispatch 13
New Arrivals
Cillian Lee McGee Cody and Jenn McGee announce the birth of their son, Cillian Lee McGee, born February 16, 2021. Cillian weighed 8 pounds,4 ounces, and was 20.5 inches long. He was welcomed home by his two sisters, Aislynn, 10, and Izabelle, 2. Cody is a Roadmaster at the Decatur & Eastern Illinois Railroad.
Cameron Thomas Nugent Jeffrey and Meagan Nugent announce the birth of their son, Cameron Thomas Nugent, born March 8, 2021. Cameron weighed 8 pounds,4 ounces, and was 20 inches long. He was welcomed home by his sister, Calli. Jeffrey is the Plant Manager at the Fitzgerald Repair and Maintenance Shop in Georgia.
Bowen Charles Burks Mike and Courtney Burks announce the birth of their son, Bowen Charles Burks, born on January 3, 2021. Bowen weighed 9 pounds, 13 ounces, and was 21 inches long. Bowen was welcomed home by his siblings Blaze, Bella, Bronson, and Bonnie. Courtney is the Customer Service Manager and works out of the Pittsburg, Kansas, office.
To submit your new arrival send a photo and information to marketing@watco.com 14 The Dispatch | April 2021
